Weegie

Frenchie, "A bit on the side"  Perhaps - "Quelqu'un avec qui on a des relations sexuelles non suivies"

Nae borrer, China.

They are also used in place of keep nets by some of the fishermen hereabouts.

Further to my last posting I have contacted the person who is in the process (actually, as it turns out, Lisleoise who is a member here). Her reply was: "I initially contacted the Prefecture (at Perigueux, Mme Nadine Nadal) by email from the link on their website. She replied that if I could give a copy of my UK driving licence she would add them back on. I couldn't get a copy of the licence but the DVLA issued me with an attestation to the effect that I had all the various towing/minibus/van upto 7.5t etc categories. I then had to get a list of authorised doctors from my Mairie and get a medical done which was a straightforward visit to the docs (€24 non reimbursable) He issued me with a medical certificate which I handed into the prefecture with my licence and two new photos. I handed all that in to the prefecture a week and a half ago and am now waiting to receive my new licence." Hopefully that is of help, Motorhead.

Motorhead, Although it doesn't continue into retrospective additions of categories I would suggest that the text here is sufficient to cover doing so.  You are entitled to exchange your licence for equivalent groups.  There is nothing to say it must all be done at once.  I would think that the Préfecture would be the place to go.  [url=http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichCodeArticle.do;jsessionid=F1B0C0454B820FB0798908E4236C3B8B.tpdjo13v_2?idArticle=LEGIARTI000006841395&cidTexte=LEGITEXT000006074228&dateTexte=20080130]Code de la Route - Exchanging Driving Licence[/url] I am aware of someone who is doing just that in the Dordogne.  I don't know how far on it is but will endeavour to find out and post the result.

Ernie They send the licence back to DVLA (See my post above with quote from Sous-Préfecture).  Can't say what would happen with points but as the systems are different.......?

Sorry got slightly confused there. [:$] This is the form you want: http://www2.equipement.gouv.fr/formulaires/fic_pdf/11246.pdf Copy and paste to your browser address bar.  It won't go as a link for me.

Groups A & B are without time limit.  The additional groups require a medical every 5 years up to the age of 60, every 2 years from 60 to 76 and then annually after that.  You can download the form here (See later post) The medical costs €24,40 and has to be carried out by a doctor on an approved list, which is obtainable from your Mairie, Préfecture or Sous-Préfecture.  From your post you have probably been through that before.  You will also need two passport sized photographs and a stamped self-addressed envelope.  Subject to passing the medical the form should be sent off by the doctor and you retain a copy of the certified medical form as proof of elligibility until your renewed licence is returned. Groups D(D) and E(D) require an annual medical every year after the age of 60.

Tony, I changed my licence three years ago at the Préfecture at Périgueux and there was no requirement for an attestation.  The usual factures, EDF etc were sufficient.  The Sous-Préfecture at Nontron provided a paper, in English,  starting "Welcome to France" and then detailing the requirements for exchange of driving licence, namely: I quote: "- Passport -  two passport photographs - your existing driving licence (both parts if it is a photo licence), - a utility bill (France Télécom, EDF) with your French address, - a stamped self-addressed envelope The standard French licence allows you to drive vehicles in categories A and B ; small motorcycles and cars.  If you have other categories you want to keep you will need to have medical which costs €24,40.  Additionally you will need to provide a third passport photograph. Once the application is complete you will be issued with an attestation which you should carry with you when you drive.  Your licence will be delivered by post in a few weeks.  Your old licence will be returned to the DVLA. Keep a photocopy of your old British licence.  Should you wish to add categories from your old British licence to your new French one, it is sufficient to pass the medical and have the extra categories added.  There may be a charge for this." Although this has been well covered before, particularly by Sunday Driver, I have copied it out in full because it answers the question re attestation as also the question of the older form of British licence.

[quote user="Ron Avery"]2) You already possess a driving licence issued by a Member State, but it is about to expire You must renew it by applying to the appropriate authorities of the Member State in which you are normally resident. [/quote] If I may, well covered before but a driving licence can only be renewed by the "appropriate authorities of the Member State" which issued it. Which means that the holders of an UK driving licence can only have it renewed by the DVLA not by the State where you are normally resident.  The DVLA will not renew with an address outside the UK.  If you cannot provide an address in UK then that would suggest exchanging it before it expires.

It may seem obvious but before opening an account I would suggest it is wise to do so in the area you are going to live.   Some of the French Banks are "regionalised" (.for example Credit Agricole) and do not have the national flexibility that you find in UK  Not an impossible situation but can make for some problems.  As an example if you were with Credit Agricole-Charente Perigord it is not easy to walk into a branch in Credit Agricole - Centre and draw cash from your account.  You would be asked to use the automatic cash dispenser and the limits are quite tight in France. Not insurmountable but.. What I'm saying is find the area before opening an account (you may already have done so).  As others have said, opening an account is relatively straightforward .

In due course you will receive,from your Notaire, a file containing a copy of the Acte de Vente  along with a document detailing taxes paid to the State in respect of the purchase, all duly registered with the appropriate authorities.  These documents constitute the equivalent of Title Deeds.  I our case it took about two months but it does vary. You may also receive a small refund from the Notaire as normally they slightly overestimate the costs to save having to chase for more!  It wouldn't be wise to book an expensive holiday on the strength of the possibility [:D] In our case the Acte etc contains some history of the property but how much, if any, willdepend on the nature of the property and how long it has been in existance. Someone may be along to amplify the above. PS as AR says the primary documents are lodged elsewhere.

It is all following on European legislation on environmental protection.  The cost varies from Commune to Commune.  Our fosse was inspected by SPANC in 2006.  The cost was about €100 for the inspection (can't remember the exact figure) .  As the Commune had organised everything they also made arrangements with a contractor to empty fosses at a negotiated price of €130.  The fosse must be emptied by a registered contractor who provides a certificate to say that the fosse has been emptied and showing where the effluent has been disposed of.  This must be an agreed place for disposal.  Farmers can no longer legally empty your fosse and spread it on their fields. Our Commune was well forward in the process.  Some others throughout the country do not seem to be so far forward in the process.  Inspection takes place every four years and the fosse must be emptied every four years too.  The inspection process was more to advise as to whether the fosse conforms to the regulations and advice as to what to do if not.  It wasn't done officiously at all and there was no immediate demand for something to be done.  As it happens our fosse is relatively new so conformed to the norms.  Our French neighbour has no fosse at all! He was advised that he would have to do something about it with a the suggestion that in four years time he would have to have a conforming fosse installed.  We will see!

Can I disagree about taking the feuilles de soin back to UK if you are on an EHIC? The quickest method for obtaining a refund, if you are still in the country, is to take them to your local CPAM who will reimburse you.  The UK authorities do not reimburse but send the paperwork to the appropriate country who then return the amount due. There is fuller information on the UK Govt Department of Health site: [url= http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Policyandguidance/Healthadvicefortravellers/Gettingtreatmentaroundtheworld/EEAandSwitzerland/EEAandSwitzerlandbycountry/index.htm]EHIC Reimbursement[/url] Sorry double post!

Can I disagree about taking the feuilles de soin back to UK if you are on an EHIC? The quickest method for obtaining a refund, if you are still in the country, is to take them to your local CPAM who will reimburse you.  The UK authorities do not reimburse but send the paperwork to the appropriate country who then return the amount due. There is fuller information on the UK Govt Department of Health site:  http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Policyandguidance/Healthadvicefortravellers/Gettingtreatmentaroundtheworld/EEAandSwitzerland/EEAandSwitzerlandbycountry/index.htm

Scooby, Not sure if that was for me.  I was aware of that but was interested in a French perspective on the nuances of usage.

Possibly a bit old-fashioned now, but in years gone bye I was taught that it was politer to use "Est-ce que...?" when addressing someone you didn't know rather than turning a statement into a question by inflection.  Unfortunately I am more than a bit old-fashioned now! Any views please, Clair?

Barbel Bob, Based on what you give as your location and assuming you are still in the Dordogne,you will find that your Centre d'Impôts is in Nontron:  17 Place Alfred Agard, 24300, Nontron. It is the same place you will make your Declaration de Revenues.  The Préfecture is: Préfecture de la Dordogne 2, rue Paul-louis Courier 24016 PERIGUEUX CEDEX Tél: 05.53.02.24.24. - Fax: 05.53.08.88.27. (La préfecture est ouverte au public du lundi au vendredi)

Fiona, My Disco is a 2003 model Series II.  The sunvisor note and the Technical Data page in the owner's handbook give the following:  Overall height (excluding roof bars)  - 1900mm Overall height (including roof bars)   - 1940mm (standard roof rails) Overall height (open sunroof)           - 2015mm Not sure if there are differences with the earlier models but with sunroofs closed (they don't usually get opened anyway) at 1940mm we have no problems. It does make life easier not queueing or searching for change etc! (BTW -  thread drift - but was brought up on the South Side many years ago.)

A little surprised at that. Have a Discovery too and with the hatches shut it is just under 2 metres. Don't have any problems with the telepeage. Do you have additional roof bars? PS.  That was in response to Fiona.

Have used http://www.pneus-online.fr/France.html too and found their service good and their prices competitive.  You do have to add fitting to the price but they give you pointers to fitting stations in your area with charges.

I find this very useful for accents.  Unfortunately, at the moment it is not compatible with "Vista"  but useful for "XP" and earlier.  The easiest way to use it is to create a shortcut and pin it to the quick launch toolbar.  It is then always immediately available without cluttering the screen.  http://www.avisoft.co.uk/

Thanks for that and the link (Mods).  Will have a good look.  Happy New Year!

Bones, If you passed your test prior to 1 January 1997 then you will have several groups for which one now has to take additional tests.  There is more information here: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/WhatCanYouDriveAndYourObligations/DG_4022547 You can check against the information to see what categories you are entitled to.  They are shown on the Driving Licence too.

Thanks for that.  I have seen them in the sheds (standard variety) but was thinking of something a bit more traditional.